Search location by ZIP code

NEWS ARCHIVE

New research and developments are helping cancer patients

Barbara Morse Silva reports about new research and treatment developments for pancreatic and rectal cancers.

Share

Shares

Copy Link

{copyShortcut} to copy
Link copied!

Updated: 8:18 AM EDT Oct 8, 2013

New research and developments are helping cancer patients

Barbara Morse Silva reports about new research and treatment developments for pancreatic and rectal cancers.

Share

Shares

Copy Link

{copyShortcut} to copy
Link copied!

Updated: 8:18 AM EDT Oct 8, 2013

Hide TranscriptShow Transcript

WEBVTT RESEARCHERS ARETRYING TO FINDBETTER WAYS TOTREAT PATIENTS WITHCERTAIN TYPES OFCANCER.NEW RESEARCH ANDDEVELOPMENTS AREHELPING PATIENTSWITH RECTAL ANDPANCREATIC CANCERS.BARBARA MORSE SILVAREPORTS.THREE YEARS AGO,BETTY CHARLAND WASDIAGNOSED WITHRECTAL CANCER."IT USED TO BE THECOMMON WAY YOU'DTREAT RECTAL CANCERIS YOU'D USERADIATION THERAPYWITH A DRUG TO HELPTHE RADIATION WORKBETTER THEN YOU'D DOSURGERY AND THEYYOU'D GIVECHEMOTHERAPYAFTERWARDS. WECHANGED THESEQUENCE IN HOWTREATMENT IS GIVEN."SO BETTY, WHO WASPART OF THIS NEWCLINICAL TRIAL BACK IN2010, COORDINATED BYTHE BROWNUNIVERSITY ONCOLOGYRESEARCH GROUP WASGIVEN CHEMOTHERAPYFIRST"THEN I WENT AND HADRADIATION WITH THENEW STUDY DRUG..ALOW DOSE WITH EACHTREATMENT." ALL THISTO MAXIMIZESHRINKAGE OF BETTY'STUMOR INPREPARATION FORSURGERY."WE FOUND THAT THISAPPEARS TO BE AMORE EFFECTIVE WAYOF TREATING RECTALCANCER." THREEYEARS AFTERDIAGNOSIS... SHE ISCANCER FREE."HOW'S YOUR QUALITYOF LIFE NOW?FABULOUS. BACK TONORMAL." AND THENTHERE'S CHARLESGATES. DIAGNOSEDWITH PANCREATICCANCER SEVENMONTHS AGO."IT USED TO BE THEREWAS ONLY ONE DRUGWE HAD TO TREAT IT.NOW THERE ARE AVARIETY OF NEWDRUGS COMINGAVAILABLE ANDCHARLIE GOT ACOMBINATION OF VERYACTIVE DRUGS THATARE ALSO DELIVEREDIN A CERTAIN WAY TOTRY TO REDUCE THESIDE EFFECTS." THATPORTION OF HISTREATMENT, PART OF ACLINICAL TRIALCOORDINATED BY THEBROWN ONCOLOGYRESEARCH GROUP.THEN THIS SURGEONFROM RHODE ISLANDHOSPITAL, DR. KEVINCHARPENTIER TOOKOVER, PERFORMING ANEW TYPE OFPROCEDURE ON ATUMOR THAT WASINOPERABLE."IRREVERSIBLEELECTROPORATION IS ANOVEL FORM OFTUMOR ABLATION. IWOULD SAY IT STILLSHOULD BECONSIDEREDEXPERIMENTAL AND ITDOES NOT RELY ONHEAT TO KILL THECANCER. IT'S SHORTPULSES OF HIGHFREQUENCYELECTRICAL CURRENTTO LITERALLY PUNCHHOLES IN THE CELLMEMBRANE AND BYVARYING THEINTENSITY ANDDURATION OF THEELECTRICAL FIELD WECAN MAKE THOSEHOLES ANIRREVERSIBLEPROCEDURE THE CELLSCAN'T RECOVER FROMAND THEY GO ON TODIE." THAT SURGERYTWO WEEKS AGO,CHARLES THE FIRST INNEW ENGLAND TOHAVE THIS NEW NOVELPROCEDURE."THE REAL STARS OFTHE RESEARCH WE DOARE THE PATIENTS."CHARLES IS JUST GLADTHERE'S SOMETHINGNEW TO BATTLE ACANCER THAT ISUSUALLY DEADLY."MY PLAN IS TO, WITHTHE HELP OF THETEAM, TO BEAT IT."AND THAT PLANINCLUDES CHEMO ANDRADIATION THERAPY INTHE COMING MONTHS.THE GOAL IS TOSHRINK HIS TUMORENOUGH TO BE ABLETO SAFELY REMOVE ITALTOGETHER.

New research and developments are helping cancer patients

Barbara Morse Silva reports about new research and treatment developments for pancreatic and rectal cancers.